Bristol Road Baptist Church

30th December 2007 PM

Coming Home 2 – RECONCILIATION

Philemon

In Duke University Divinity school in North Carolina there is a striking

bronze statue of three figures, entitled Reconciliation.
It shows the reluctant older brother in the story of the Prodigal Son being
entreated by a frail father who is being held on to by the returning younger
brother.
It rather strikingly illustrates our evening theme.

Tonight we consider how Onesimus a runaway slave CAME HOME to his

owner. It is a story of reconciliation – mediated by Paul who wrote the
letter.

I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I

was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has
become
useful both to you and to me.
Philemon 10

This little letter is a gem! It contains so much on so many different levels.

At its simplest it is the story of a runaway slave who becomes a Christian
and has to go back to the master he wronged. Paul includes in this little
letter so many essential truths – but tonight we are concerned with one:
RECONCILIATION.

ONESIMUS the slave of Philemon a Christian has run away – presumably

taking some of his master’s property.

He makes for the great city of Rome – a journey of about 1000 miles in the
Hope of losing himself in the city underworld. Many slaves did just that.
Instead he meets Paul and becomes a believer.

Now – having proved his usefulness to Paul – he must go back to his

master, and Paul – to whom Philemon is spiritually indebted – writes this
letter to accompany the returning runaway. (It has that theme in common
with the story of the prodigal.)
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Going back – and reconciliation is not easy – it has to be based upon a new
kind of trust and a very real love.

To be truly successful it must produce not just a settling of old scores – but
something much better and deeper.

The possibility of a deeper relationship arising from the mending of a

broken one is the central theme of the letter. It is only possible because
God has been at work in the lives of all concerned.

(It is a widely held view that scar tissue is stronger than the original skin
before the injury. Actually the truth is rather different – but of course the
scar is thicker than the wound – perhaps that’s where the idea
originated.1

However in the spiritual world it is true – that that which has been injured
and healed is stronger than the original state. Where God has been at
work there is not just healing but a state better far than the sinful state
that originally existed.)

In that respect this letter is not just about a returning runaway slave – it is
a statement of what Jesus came to do – a RECONCILING WORK.

As we look at it this evening we need to APPLY its teaching to ourselves.

We are well removed from the world of slaves and masters – but the
central work of healing and reconciling is essential to our faith.

This is about reconciliation within the family of God

It is about the reconciling work of Christ.

We will focus on three verses in particular:

V9 I appeal to you on the basis of love. (The appeal of love)

V15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was
that you might have him back for good— 16 no longer as a slave, but
better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even
dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
(Reconciling grace)

1
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071003071650AAEpUrW
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V18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.
(Settling the debt)

Here are the headings we’ll use tonight:-

(a) LOVE’S APPEAL v9

(b) RECONCILING GRACE v15-
(c) SETTLING THE DEBT v18

A. LOVE’S APPEAL
8
Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what
you ought to do, 9 yet I appeal to you on the basis of love.

Philemon could have responded to Paul’s request out of DUTY – even out of
RESPECT – but would such a response have been enough?

Often we do do things out of duty and for respect – there is a place for
such responses – but the real response of the believer’s heart is out of
LOVE.

That which arises from duty might have produced a grudging acceptance
only – a superficial mending of wounds.

More is required of believers than “Sorry…” and a rough hand-shake!

• When it comes to our being reconciled to God a grudging

obedience will not work – LOVE is essential

(a) Love for the one who failed:

10
I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,a who became my son while I was
in chains. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become
useful both to you and to me.
12
I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.

(b) Love for the one who was wronged:

1
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

a
Onesimus means useful.
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To Philemon our dear friend and fellow-worker,

7
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you,
brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
14
But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any
favour you do will be spontaneous and not forced.

Clearly Paul is part of the equation of reconciliation – it is a three way

process involving Paul and Onesimus and Philemon – and that which binds
all of them together is the redeeming work of Christ.

So Paul who loves Onesimus – appeals to Philemon whom he also loves in

the Lord.

(c) Love between the sinner and the sinned-against

you might have him back for good— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than
a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you,
both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
17
So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome
me.

It is this comprehensive love that is at the heart of the comprehensive

reconciliation required.

• It is so for us who are reconciled to God in Jesus Christ

Love to the loveless shown

That they might lovely be…

Christ’s work is AN APPEAL ON THE BASIS OF LOVE

• It is so for believers who may have wronged each other

Christ’s forgiveness of us demands our forgiveness of others. He loved us

– we must love one another.

And so there is also a need for reconciliation – a healing of wounds – and

even more.
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B. RECONCILING GRACE v15~

15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was
that you might have him back for good— 16 no longer as a slave, but
better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even
dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

One of the characteristics of this letter is the way Paul plays with words.
He makes much of Onesimus’ name and its meaning, and here in these
verses he makes play on the word dear - but he does so for a very
serious reason.

He wants Philemon to recognise that there is something deeply

significant about these circumstances and his appeal:

(1) Something has changed

Grace has transformed a loss into a greater gain.

Grace has brought about a new relationship.

16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother.

Grace holds the prospect of a deepening relationship.

These things are true of this story, of our reconciliation with God, and for
relationships within the Church.

(2) A loss is made good

Grace transforms Philemon’s loss into a greater reward than mere

repayment – it is repayment with INTEREST!
15
Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was
that you might have him back for good— 16 no longer as a slave, but
better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even
dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

That is one of the great wonders of God’s work. He is about healing

wounds – but much, much more – He makes it better after the injury than it
was before!

That is true of our reconciliation with God – we have something much

better!
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Not just the settling of the Law’s demands – but a new nature!

And as reconciliation works itself out in the Church it must have that added
value quality as well.

(3) There is now something very precious

Playing with the word DEAR Paul reminds us and Philemon that we are:

• Dear to God
• Dear to one another

C. SETTLING THE DEBT v18

18 If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.
19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to
mention that you owe me your very self.

RECONCILIATION COSTS

It has cost Philemon

It will cost Onesimus BUT PAUL SETTLES THE ACCOUNT!
Paul takes the pen from the amanuensis and scribbles his own IOU

I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back

Paul is in a unique position – he can write off the debt Onesimus owes to
Philemon, and he goes so far as to actually render a “cheque” in payment
–

What a precious picture of Christ’s work - Col 2:13

13
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful
nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14
having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was
against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to
the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a
public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross

When Christ settled our debt He left NOTHING UNSETTLED

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Our works of reconciliation are much lesser things – but necessary none
the less.

Christ does not simply mend – He makes better.

• HE LOVES
• HE RECONCILES
• HE SETTLES THE DEBT